title: Identification of the mRNA expression status of the dopamine D2 receptor and dopamine transporter in peripheral blood lymphocytes of schizophrenia patients.
abstract: The aim of this study was to detect the mRNA expression levels of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) and dopamine transporter (DAT) in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) of schizophrenia patients and to explore the relationship between the mRNA expression levels and the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia. The research included 25 cases of acute schizophrenia patients, 27 cases of chronic schizophrenia patients, and 30 healthy controls. In every case, we measured the mRNA levels of DRD2 and DAT in PBLs by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR), and we evaluated the patients' clinical symptoms using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). DRD2 mRNA levels in PBLs of acute schizophrenia patients, chronic schizophrenia patients, and healthy controls were 0.32±0.13, 0.37±0.19, and 0.34±0.09, respectively, and the difference was not significant. DAT mRNA levels in PBLs of the abovementioned groups were 0.48±0.24, 0.58±0.21 and 0.39±0.24, respectively (F = 4.330, P = 0.017), and comparisons between every group showed that DAT mRNA levels in PBLs of chronic schizophrenia patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (MS interclass = 0.198, p = 0.005). The correlation between DRD2 mRNA levels in PBLs and the positive symptom points of PANSS in acute schizophrenia patients was significant (r = 0.443, p = 0.044). In conclusion, DRD2 mRNA levels in PBLs are correlated with positive symptoms in acute schizophrenia patients, and DAT mRNA levels in PBLs of chronic schizophrenia patients are over-expressed.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychiatry Department, Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Guozhen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Zaohuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Guofu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Huifang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002681:China; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2